Photographic developing apparatus.



PATEN'PED MAY 19, 1903.

J. W. MEEK. PHOTOGRAPHIG DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1903.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAY 19, 1903:

J. W. MEEK. PHOTOGRAPHIG DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1903.

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H0 MODEL.

1721/0150)" 2 76217266 2% mafia/ UNITE STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT @FFICE.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,743, dated May 19, 1 903.

Application filed January 2, 1903.

To all, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LJAMEs WYNDHAM Manx, a citizen of England, residing at Albert road, Stroud Green, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Developing Apparatus, (for which I have made application for a patent in Great Britain, No. 17,911, dated August 14:, 1902, and application forpatentin Germany,datedAugust27, 1902,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the construction of portable apparatus of small dimensions constituting a dark chamber in which the developing of photographic impressions is carried on in such manner that the progress of the development can be observed outside the closed apparatus as the process is going on and can thus be kept under complete control.

For this purpose the apparatus consists of a casing of some material impenetrable to actinic rays divided into two compartments by a partition. In one of these compartments is placed the roll of exposed films, While at the end of the other compartment is a reel on which the black-paper backing of the films is wound. The Winding operation feeds the film under a removable opaque shutter into the vacant space of the second compartment, the floor of which consists of a sheet of ruby glass or the like. A separate developing-box, having no bottom and a top consisting of ruby glass, isintroduced into this space, and means are provided for clamping it so as to form a liquid-tight chamber provided with means for introducing and expelling developing or other liquids.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan of the complete apparatus. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are longitudinal sections showing the several parts in different positions corresponding to the several operations required for carrying out the method of operating. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sections on lines XX and Y Y, Fig. 1. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 show detached views of the developingbox.

The apparatus consists ofacasing a,divided bya partition Z7 into two compartments 0 and (Z. The compartment 0 serves to receive a spool e of film-exposures, after the introduc- Serial No. 137,591. on model.)

the black-paper wrapping of the roll-film,

which is passed through it to the outside of the compartmentd, asshown atp, Fig. 2, and along a plate t', hinged to the back thereof, the end of which plate carries a winding-reel j. to which the black paper is connected.

For this purpose the plate 2' with the reel is turned down on its hinge, as shown at Fig. 2, and when the paper has been attached to the reel, the plate is closed up against the back of the casing a, as at Fig. 3. The second slot h of compartment 0 serves for the passage of the film 7c into the interior of the compartment cl, as shown. The plate hot' the slot 77. forms part of a shutter Z, capable of sliding up and down to a slight extent against the partition I), being moved by a cam-lever Z, so as first to raise the shutter and plate 7t sufficiently to allow the film 71) to pass freely through the slot h into the compartment d, after which the shutter is closed down, as at Fig. 4, so as to close the slot h light-tight. Before the film is passed through the slot h into compartment d a second shutter m is placed in the latter, so as to lie upon a ledge 1 0f shutter Z, and thus to leave a narrow space between at and the floor n of compartment d, into which the film can pass without being exposed to the light and which prevents it from curling up as it passes along.

The shutter on having been placed in position and the hinged back plate 1' with reel j being closed up, as at Fig. 3, the reel is rotated by means of an external handle 0, so as to wind up the black paperp. By thus drawing the paper from the roll 6 this is rotated,

thereby causing the filmk to pass into the slot h and thence along the space between the shutter m and the floor n. When a filmsection has thus been brought into proper position in the compartment d, this will be indicated by the appearance of the number of such film-section marked on the black; paper loo p behind a hole t" in the hinged plate 2'. The film-section is then developed by the following means: A box or tank q (shown in position in plan at Fig. 1 and in side view at Fig. 4 and in plan separate at Fig. 9 and end view at Fig. 6 and also in longitudinal and cross sections at Figs. 7'and 8) is placed upon the shutter m. This box has its upper side closed by two plates 1" r, of ruby-tinted glass, the upper one, 1", of which is arranged so as to leave an opening between its right-hand end and the end of the box q, while the lower one, 1", is fixed to the box at that end and leaves an opening at the left-hand end between it and the box. The bottom of the box is open and its rim is provided with a caoutchouc cushion at, that is adapted to bear upon the film-section, so as when pressed down-thereon to make a water-tight joint therewith. The box having been placed upon the shutter m, the latter is withdrawn from the right-hand end of the compartment d, thereby causing the box to drop down upon the film-section, as shown in rear elevation at Fig. 10, the filmsection being completely covered thereby.

'A frame 8 (shown in side View at Figs. 4: and 10 and in plan at Fig. 9) is then placed upon the projecting flange of the box q and is secured to the casing a, as shown at Fig. 10, first, by engaging with notches at s with pins t, projecting from the inner sides of the casing, and, secondly, by a transverse bar It, carried in slots 0!, of the casing which is slid over the projecting flange s or the frame after this has been placed in position.

To the sides of the frame are pivoted camshaped lovers 1) '1), connected together by a bar I), which when the frame 3 has been fixed in position as described are turned down from the position shown at Fig. 4 into that shown at Fig. 10, thereby pressing the box with its caoutchouc cushion firmly down upon the film. The developing fluid is now poured onto the glass top of the box, whence it finds its way through the before-mentioned openings into the interior and in contact with the film-section, the negative of which is consequently developed.

During the developing process the operator can readily watch its progress by first turning down the plate 1', together with the black paperp and reel j, and then holding the apparatus up to the light, when the condition of the negative can be observed through the ruby-tinted glass of the box and that of the floor n of the compartment d. When the development is completed, the operator opens a small cock to at the end of the box and runs off the developing fluid,after which the clamping-frame s is removed and the box is taken off the developed film-section, which is then separated from the roll by cutting with a knife along the edge of flange Z of the shutter Z. The apparatus is now ready for developing another film-section by repeating the several above-described operations.

A casing is provided similar in form to the capf to be slid onto the other end of the apparatus, so as to inclose the compartment 01 with the box q, plate t', and reel j when the apparatus is not in use.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim- 1. Inapparatus for developing photographic negatives the combination of a chamber for containing the undeveloped roll-film closed light-tight by a removable cap, an open trough-shaped chamber whose bottom is of ruby glass communicating with the roll-film chamber by a slot through which the film to be developed is passed from the latter into the former, a box open on one side and having ruby glass on the opposite side, adapted to be pressed down fluid-tight with its open side against the film in the trough-shaped chamber, a clamping device for pressing the box against the film and bottom of said chamher, and means for introducing developing liquid into and removing same from said box when pressed down on the film, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for developing photographic negatives the combination of a chamber for containing the undeveloped roll-film closed light-tight by a removable cap, an open trough-shaped chamber whose bottom is of ruby glass communicating with the roll-film chamber by a slot through which the film to be developed is passed from the latter into the former, a removable plate adapted to be supported in the trough so as to cover the film as it passes into the trough, and adapted to be withdrawn subsequently, a box open on one side and having ruby glass on the opposite side adapted to be pressed down fluidtight with its open side against the film in the trough, on the withdrawal of said plate,means for clamping said box against the film, and means for introducing developing fluid into and removing it from the box, substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for developing photographic negatives, the combination of a chamber for containing the undeveloped roll-film closed light-tight by a removable cap, and provided with a slot through which the cover of the roll-film is adapted to be passed, an open trough-shaped chamber whose bottom is of ruby glass communicating with the rollfilm chamber by a slot through which the film to be developed is passed from the latter into the former, a flap hinged to the back of said trough-shaped chamber adapted to lie fiat against the same and provided With an aperture for inspection of the position of the filmbacking relative to the developing-chamber, a winding-reel on the free end of said flap adapted to wind up said paper cover, a box open on one side and having ruby glass on the opposite side, adapted to be pressed down fluid-tight with its open side against the film in the trough-shaped chamber, a clam ping device for pressing the box against the film and bottom of said chamber, and means for introducing developing liquid into and removing same from said box when pressed down on the film, substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for developing photographic negatives, the combination of a chamher for containing the undeveloped roll-film closed light-tight by a removable cap, and provided with a slot through which the cover of the film is adapted to be passed, an open trough-shaped chamber Whose bottom is of ruby glass communicating with the roll-film chamber by a slot through which the film to be developed is passed from the latter into the former, a flap hinged to the back of said trough-shaped chamber adapted to lie flat against the same, and provided with an aperture for inspection of the position of the film backing relative to the developing-chamber, a Winding-reel on the free end of said flap adapted to Wind up said paper cover, a removable plate adapted to be supported in the trough so as to cover the film as it passes into the trough, and adapted to be Withdrawn subsequently, abox open on one side and having ruby glass on the opposite side adapted to be pressed down fluid-tight With its open side against the film in the trough, on the Withdrawal of said plate, means for clamping said box against the film, and means for introducing developing fluid into and removing it from the box, substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for developing photographic negatives the combination of a chamber for containing the undeveloped roll-film closed light-tight by a removable cap, an open trough-shaped chamber whose bottom is of ruby glass communicating with the roll-film chamber by a slot through which the film to be developed is passed from the latter into the former, a shutter adapted to close said slot light-tight after the film has been passed into the trough shaped chamber, a removable plate adapted to be supported in the trough so as to cover the film as it passes into the trough, and adapted to be Withdrawn subsequently, a box open on one side and having ruby glass on the opposite side adapted to be pressed down fluid-tight with its open side against the film in the trough, on the withdrawal of said plate, means for clamping said box against the film, and means for introducing developing fiuid into and removing it from the box, substantially as described.

6. In apparatus for developing photographic negatives, the combination of a chamber for containing the undeveloped roll-film closed light-tight by a removable cap, an open trough-shaped chamber whose bottom is of ruby glass communicating with the roll-film chamber by a slot through which the film to be developed is passed from the latter into the former, a box open on one side and having ruby glass on the opposite side, adapted to be pressed down fluid-tight with its open side against the film in the trough-shaped chamber, a clamping device for pressing the box against the film and bottom of said chamber, consisting of a loose frame fitting over said box above a flange thereon and adapted to engage at one end with projections on the sides of said trough and at the other end under a sliding bar in the trough, and camshaped levers pivoted to said frame and adapted to press the frame against the film, and means for introducing developing liquid into and discharging same from said box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES WYNDHAM MEEK.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH MILLARD, EDWARD GARDNER. 

